Drakken's Cove
by Makuta7
Summary: When Drakken gives up on world domination, Shego leaves and tries to find her own way in life. During her journey, she struggles to understand her feelings for him and realizes that she will have to change herself if she wants to find true happiness and fulfillment. A story about empathy and personal growth, hopefully with lots of laughs. Takes place after the final episode.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Shego left her room and made her way down the stairs to Dr. Drakken's lab. She stretched her arms and yawned louder than necessary, causing a monstrous echo that would have embarrassed her, had anyone heard it. She could never understand why Drakken designed the lair with cave-like corridors and mile-high ceilings. For the most part, she and Drakken were the only two who used this section of the lair while the henchmen were relegated to the dormitories and warehouses in the lower levels, but even when he rebuilt it, he made sure to keep the same aesthetic.

Shego glided her fingers across the rough stone wall and smiled slightly. It was quite strange. Living in a cavernous mountain should have made her feel estranged, like a monster hiding in the darkest corner of society, but there was something homey, even welcoming about his lair. Perhaps after so many years of living on the run, hopping from heist to heist, she was simply grateful to have a place where she belonged, or maybe there was something else—something deeper that she could never put into words. Whatever the case, Shego was not one to stay trapped inside her own head, contemplating her feelings. If it had no explanation, then it likely needed none.

Entering the lab, Shego instinctively walked over to Drakken who was mumbling incoherently as he rummaged through some papers at his desk. Though it was six o'clock in the morning, he was already hard at work. Though Shego would never admit it, she could not help but be concerned about his sleep schedule. He was always the last to bed and the first to rise—no doubt a health risk, but proof of his dedication as well.

Shego eyed a blue ray gun resting on the shelf next to the desk. It hadn't been there the day before, so she hoped it was a sign that he had a new plan to foil Kim Possible or conquer the world.

"Hey, Dr. D. What's up with the new ray gun thingy?"

Drakken shot up from his desk, his papers flying around him in a whirlwind. "Shego! How many times do I have to say it? Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I wasn't sneaking. You're just stuck in your evil little world. How 'bout you focus on conquering this one? It's been a month since your last take over the world scheme."

Drakken scrambled to pick up his papers and swiped the ray gun off the shelf. "Behold, Shego, my latest creation! The Hyper Tranquility Inducer!"

Shego covered her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. "Tranquility? Are you trying to make world peace? Not your greatest scheme, gotta admit."

"Let me explain, Shego. This is a personal matter—a cure for my verdant virus caused by my Super High Pollinator. Over the past weeks, I've noticed that these vines only shoot out of my neck when I am stressed or agitated, almost like a defense mechanism. Only when I stay completely calm does the virus subside."

"So you can only control those vines during your daily hour of sleep?"

"Ha! Just you wait, Shego. With this weapon, I will be the very image of tranquility."

Shego snatched the gun out of his hand. "Uh, Dr. D, you're a super villain. Pretty sure they don't do tranquil. I've got a better idea. How about I shoot you with a tranquilizer gun?"

"Out of the question! You know how I feel about pointy objects."

Shego laughed. "Wait, wait. You mean you're a doctor who's scared of needles?"

"Ugh, how is this knowledge new to you? When we are in the home and garden section of Smarty Mart, do I not avoid the cacti?"

Shego crossed her arms. "And how have you not noticed that when we do any shopping together, I avoid _you_?"

"Agh!" A daisy sprouted out of Drakken's neck and he breathed deeply. "It's okay, Drew. Just go to your happy place. A dewy Sunday morning, your favorite episode of _Evil Eye for the Bad Guy_, and Shego bringing you breakfast in bed with a warm glass of cocoa moo."

Shego tapped him on the shoulder. "Um, Dr. D? I can hear every word you're saying."

"That was the point, Shego."

"Yeah, well, is your plant therapy gonna take long? Because it's been a month since your last evil scheme. Or are you giving Kimmy the summer off? Worried she's too busy prepping for college to give you any attention?"

Drakken sighed and returned to his chair, letting his papers sprawl out over his desk. "Actually, about this whole 'super villain' thing . . ."

"Oh no. Please don't tell me—"

"It's not what you think, Shego. I've merely considered a brief hiatus from evil. You know, to think about the finer parts of life. Maybe even go back to school and get my PhD."

Shego dropped the Hyper Tranquility Inducer and it resounded against the stone floor with a dull clatter. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist against her chest. Drakken's eyes widened and she turned away from him. She had to get ahold of herself. Now was not the time to be dramatic, but already she was on the verge of tears. She couldn't show that much emotion in front of her boss. Regarding evil, emotion meant weakness. That was why all the villains she knew were losers.

Shego put her hands on her hips and leaned over Drakken. "You're giving up on evil?!"

"Now, Shego, that's not what I said."

"The hell it was! Evil doesn't take breaks. This isn't like you at all."

"Shego, language!" He cleared his throat. "Now, I realize how sudden this is, but receiving

the United Nations Peace Medal can change a man."

"So you save the world one time and suddenly you can't be a villain anymore? Is there

some evil rule book I'm not aware of? What happened to protecting the world from an alien threat so you could conquer it?"

Drakken scratched his chin. "Did I say that? Well, that's not important right now." He stood up and threw his arm around Shego. "You were up on that stage with me. Could you not feel it—the rush of adoration, the shouts of praise from around the world? In that moment, Shego, we did something that we had never done before, something that changed my life forever. We accomplished something beyond ourselves."

Shego swatted his arm away. "Uh huh. Real inspiring, Dr. D. Only one problem with that—I don't care about anything beyond myself!"

Drakken shrunk away from her. "Shego . . . I know you don't mean that."

Shego waved her hand and stomped out of the lab. "Then you don't know me at all."

"Shego, wait! I know change can be hard, but we can make it through this together. Sh-Shego?"

He heard the door to Shego's room slam shut so hard it shook the cavern walls. He sighed and slumped down in his chair.

"Oh . . . I'm not very good at this whole drama thing. Now I'm in a funk and first thing in the morning too." He bent over and picked up the Hyper Tranquility Inducer Shego had left on the floor. "Oh well. Nothing a little instantaneous tranquility can't fix."

* * *

Shego threw herself onto her bed and screamed into the pillow. She knew something had been off since the ceremony at the UN, but this was a disaster.

"Dammit, Drakken." she murmured. "An evil hiatus? This isn't what I signed up for."

She threw open her closet and grabbed the black Louis Vuitton luggage case she used for vacations. She set it on the floor and threw in whatever articles she could fit—her uniforms, her swimsuits, her dresses, even the pencil skirt she wore when she taught at Middleton High. She shut the case and sat down on it with her face in her hands.

"You know I can't work for you like this, Drakken. I mean, why keep me around if you don't need me to steal anything for you? Why didn't you lay me off? Why are you forcing me to make the tough decision?"

A broken laugh escaped her lips. "Tough? It should be simple. No, it is simple. He no longer needs my services, so I'll take my employment elsewhere."

She wiped her eyes and saw tears beading up on her gloves. "Then why am I crying?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shego entered the lab with her luggage case in tow. She saw Drakken still working at his desk, scrawling vehemently on a piece of paper and periodically pausing to get his thoughts straight and laugh quietly to himself. Whatever he was doing, he seemed to be in a good mood, and Shego hated to ruin it.

Drakken swiveled around to greet her with a crooked smile. "Ah, Shego! Your timing couldn't be better. Tell me, what do you think is the evilest thing I've ever done? Or is it most evil?"

Shego tossed an envelope onto his already cluttered desk. "Listen, Drakken. We need to talk."

His gleeful disposition quickly sunk. "Oh dear. Is this about what happened this morning?"

"Uh-huh, that's my letter of resignation."

Drakken gasped as he grabbed the letter in both hands and gazed at it, his face contorted in horror. "Letter of resignation? I take back what I just said about your timing." He snickered and pulled a folder out of a nearby filing cabinet. "You see, I've already renewed your contract for another six months, and unless I am in violation of the terms therein, I'm afraid you're out of luck."

Shego nimbly pulled a page out of the folder. "Yeah, you might wanna take a look at clause four."

"Clause four?" He snatched the page out of her hand. "Let me see that. Hm . . . 'the employer is hereby obligated to refer to the contracted person as partner. Any usage of the terms henchman, henchwoman, henchperson, or sidekick is in violation of this contract' —Oh, he-he— 'unless both parties agree to a change in relationship status, in which case new titles may be substituted.' Alright. So I called you sidekick a few times, big deal. Can't you just file a complaint? That's not really worth resigning over."

"Uh, Dr. D. The sub-clause."

"Oh, the sub-clause. Why didn't you say that in the first place? Let's see . . . 'In the case of pregnancy, the employer is hereby obligated to provide the contracted person with twelve weeks of paid maternity leave. Failure to do so is in violation of this contract.'" He lowered the paper and let his gaze wander up and down her body. "Um, Shego, I don't think this applies here unless there's something you're not telling me."

Shego's face reddened and she covered herself with her arms. "Not that one, idiot! The sub sub-clause."

"Sub sub-clause? You mean this microscopic text in the margins? I thought that was a smudge from my glove."

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Hold on! Give me a minute. These are the eyes of a precision engineer, not a . . . well, I'm not a speed-reader, okay?" He cleared his throat. "'In the unlikely event that the employer abandons his sacred evil duty as a super villain, the contracted person is permitted and encouraged to seek out further employment that makes better use of his or her skills. This policy is in accordance with the villains' union's Underemployment Prevention Act that was passed in 1998.' Utter nonsense! Did you pencil this in while I wasn't looking? Because that sounds like something you would do."

Shego grabbed her suitcase and made her way towards the door. "Hey, you got a problem? Take it up with my union rep."

"I don't care about some law degree-toting charlatan . . . Wait, was that description redundant? No, that's not important. What I'm trying to say is I care about _you_, Shego, so let's work this out together, one-on-one." He grabbed a pen and notepad. "Come now. What can I do to make you stay?"

"Um, how 'bout go back to being evil?!"

Drakken folded his hands and glanced away from her. "But Shego, I don't think I can go back after that ceremony at the UN. I-I was finally getting the external validation I've longed for all these years."

Shego trembled slightly and looked down at her feet. "Listen, Drakken. All your plans were complete failures, but the one thing you had going for you was your dedication." She clasped his shoulder and smiled awkwardly. "No matter how many times you humiliated yourself, you never gave up on world conquest, and now that you have, well, I just don't have any reason to stick around."

Drakken sighed and looked up at her with a weak smile. "No, I understand, Shego. I knew this day would come." He rose slowly from his desk. "Don't go yet. I've prepared something for this moment—just a little token of my gratitude."

He flew to the stairs and bounded up them three at a pace.

"N-no! Dr. D, you really don't have to . . . do that."

Drakken was already gone, his laughter echoing down the corridor.

"Ugh!" Shego groaned.

_Why does he always get so emotional about these things? Can't he see he's just making it worse? And what was he saying about external validation? Did he really want to conquer the world so it would validate him? No, he's just trying to make me pity him . . . and he's doing a good job._

With a heavy gait, Drakken returned to the lab bearing a bulky metal case under his arm and a green-tinted visor above his brow. Shego folded her arms around her waist and gave a sidelong glance at the case as Drakken opened it. He held aloft a metal belt with six canisters attached to it, letting its silvery luster shimmer against the eerie light of the lab.

"Behold, Shego, my Cell Rejuvenating Super Serum! A few milliliters of this will supercharge your cellular reproduction, healing even the fatalist of wounds."

Shego took the belt and haphazardly held it up to eye-level. "Yeah, um, Dr. D, don't take this the wrong way, but—are you insane?! Why would I ever put your drugs in my body? You're a mad scientist, not a pharmacist. Even a mad pharmacist would be better."

"Mock me if you wish, Shego, but if you were on death's door you wouldn't trade an ounce of that serum for a billion dollars."

"Uh-huh, and what are the side-effects?"

Drakken chuckled nervously. "Oh, well, too much of it could be lethal, of course, but in moderate doses it's completely safe, I assure you."

"And what is a moderate dose?"

"One syringe. Each canister contains three."

"Hm . . . I don't know about this, Dr. D. Did you test it on yourself?"

"Indeed, and as you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"Yeah, that's debatable."

Drakken clenched his fists. "Argh! Listen, Shego. I spent years perfecting that formula. If it doesn't work, then my name isn't Dr. Drakken."

"Yeah, your name _isn't_ Dr. Drakken."

He scowled at her. "A little gratitude would be appreciated, especially now that you're about to leave me forever."

Shego held up her hands defensively. "Alright, alright. Thanks for the super-soldier stims. Now what's up with the shades?"

He removed the visor from his brow and shoved it onto Shego's face. "See for yourself."

A small interface popped up in the corner of her vision. It listed several options for holographic training simulations.

"Oh, cool! A combat simulator."

"Not just any combat simulator, Shego. A neurologically invasive combat simulator."

Shego quickly took off the visor. "Uh, I'm no scientist, but that sounds pretty terrible."

"It emits artificial brainwaves that stimulate the sensory nerves to provide extremely realistic combat scenarios."

"In other words, when I punch your holograms, I'll feel it and when they punch back—"

"It'll hurt like the dickens."

Shego raised her brow. "Right . . . Does it have a hologram of you?"

"Well, yes, but it's for troubleshooting purposes only."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thanks, Drakken! This is the best gift you've ever given me."

"Oh! heh-heh, don't mention it."

He hugged her timidly and returned to his desk. Shego stared at him for a moment, anticipating some protest, but he had already busied himself with his paperwork. With a quiet sigh, Shego threw the visor into her suitcase and clasped the Cell Rejuvenation Belt around her waist. Somehow it fit perfectly, although she had no idea how Drakken knew the width of her waist.

She grabbed her suitcase and headed for the door, her shoulders somewhat slumped. "Alright, Dr. D, I'm headin' out. Working with you has been great. Uh, really great actually—maybe even the most fun I've had in my life."

Drakken leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Yes, these past five years have been exhilarating, haven't they? The defeats, the . . . near-victories—there was something special about each one of them."

_ Maybe that's because we experienced them all together. . . ._

"But like all things, our time together must come to an end. Farewell, Shego."

She trembled slightly and forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess so. Bye, Drakken."

Her eyes dashed from the door to her former boss. "I-I'm leaving now."

Drakken furrowed his brow, causing his scar to contort somewhat grotesquely. "Yes, so you are."

She approached the exit, which opened automatically, and put one foot through the doorway. "Alright. I'm walking out the door."

"Yes, I can see that."

"I'm heading out. You'll probably never see me again."

"Yes, I'm aware of that."

"Okay. Well, bye."

Shego stepped through the archway and the steel door slammed shut behind her. She quickly poked her head back inside and saw Drakken sitting stoically at his desk.

"You sure you don't have one last doomsday plan in that bad, blue head of yours?"

Drakken gripped the edge of his desk with a painful grimace. "Yes, Shego, I'm sure."

"Oh, okay. Well, if you ever have an evil side job you need—"

"Shego, are you leaving or not?!"

She froze, then nodded. "Yeah, I-I'm going." She waved meekly and through quivering lips said, "Bye, Drew."

The door slid close once more and she swallowed painfully. "I guess that's it."

Slowly she made her way down the mountainside towards the coast, periodically looking back at the lair's sinister silhouette. If Drakken had rushed down the hill, begging for her to come back she probably would have agreed, but she couldn't change her creed and become a model citizen overnight.

"How did you give it up?" she murmured. "I wish I could too, but . . . I just don't care about anyone. It's not hatred. I just feel . . . nothing."

Shego shook her head. "Pull it together, girl. Your new boss is waiting."

As she neared the ocean, she expected to see the chopper that had been dispatched to pick her up, but it was nowhere in sight. The island was silent, save for the waves crashing against its rocky crags. She decided to walk along the edge of the bluff and watch the waves slowly wear away the cliffside. For the longest time she had thought the lair a dark, dreary place, but now as she looked upon it one last time, she thought it beautiful, even serene.

_I wonder if Drakken has seen this part of the island. Has he walked along this bluff or down in that cove?_

Indeed, there was an inlet just below her. She left her suitcase in the grass and scaled down the cliff before stepping onto the sand. The cove was a half-circle of stone with jagged peaks protruding from the sea at both ends. Here the waves did not crash but quietly crawled back and forth. It was a strange feeling. Shego had frequented many beaches in her day, but those had been resorts—full of people she tried to ignore. This cove was silent. She was utterly alone and at peace. In fact, she thought it was the first time in years she had found any semblance of peace. Slowly, all the pressure and heartache of the day melted away as she breathed in the salty air.

"This place," she whispered, "has it been here all along?"

She stepped into the water with a confident smirk. "Well it's mine now—my little sanctuary." She dipped her hand in the inky sea. "It feels like I could pour myself out into these waters."

She peered down at her marine reflection, haloed by the moon. Even that silver orb seemed more radiant now. It was bright, pure, almost feminine, yet as she looked more closely, she noticed its pockmarked surface of countless craters. Suddenly, she felt disgusted, like a worm was squirming inside her chest and she was forced back onto the beach.

Shego decided to explore the rest of the cove, but her search was cut short when a light suddenly blazed down on her from above. It was a helicopter—her ride to her next assignment.

_How did that chopper catch me by surprise? I guess this is what it's like to be Drakken—caught up in my own little world._

Somewhat embarrassed, Shego climbed back up the cliff and, grabbing her suitcase along the way, ran to the helicopter. She was greeted by a burly man in a gray jumpsuit.

"Professor Dementor eagerly awaits your arrival." he said curtly.

Shego looked at the lair one last time then down at the cove. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." She jumped on the chopper and watched the island shrink beneath her. "But I think part of me is staying behind."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Shego arrived at the timeshare lair after a quiet, lonesome flight. Professor Dementor was sitting at the dining room table, quietly drinking a cup of coffee while he flipped through an issue of _Doomsday_, a villain's tabloid full of the sensationalist trash Shego hated.

"Hey, prof." Shego said as she parked her suitcase. "So, the Timeshare Lair? Pretty original."

Dementor threw his coffee mug and bounded ragefully across the room. "Shego, you made me wait thirty-seven minutes! Why did you make me wait?! I hate ze waiting! You made me read _Doomsday _and it wasn't even this week's issue!" He dropped the magazine as his eyes fell on Shego's black suitcase. "Is zat a Louis Vuitton suitcase?! How could you afford zat?! I know Drakken hardly paid you anything!"

Shego pointed to herself. "Hello? Villain? I stole it."

"Oh, in zat case, my sister, Hildegard's birthday is coming up next week. Do you think you could steal another one?"

"Only if you let me stuff you inside it."

"Ha! Zat is funny because I would actually fit!"

"Could you stop yelling at me like I'm a mile away? That's not exactly how people communicate."

"I am renting this timeshare with my money! I will control ze volume level! Now, because of your tardiness, you missed the mission briefing. I suppose it will have to wait until ze morning. Oh, I hate when my students are late to class! I am marking you down a letter grade on your performance evaluation chart!"

"My what?"

Dementor ran to his desk and returned with a white clipboard upon which was attached Shego's picture and a grading rubric.

He scribbled on the clipboard with a red pen and held it up to Shego. "Your performance evaluation chart. I decided to grade my employees based on their performance. You know, I figured I should play off the whole professor thing. Clever, huh?"

"Uh-huh, clever. Where's my room?"

"Ah, well, you see, I built a dormitory for my employees to instill in them a sense of comradery. It's just down the street. I could call a cab—"

Shego crouched down and poked him in the chest. "No, I am _not _sharing a room."

Dementor laughed nervously. "I know zat. You are my only female employee, so I have a private room for you." He tossed her a key. "Up the stairs, third door on the left."

Shego sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Great. The room Drakken always gave me."

* * *

Shego loved solitude. To her, time by herself was time well spent. If she was alone, she didn't have to meet the emotional needs of people she didn't care about. All she had to worry about was taking care of herself—the only person she could understand and rely on. Everyone else hid behind their masks, trying to deceive each other. It wasn't worth the effort to please them. That was why Shego couldn't care less about how a bunch of strangers judged her. To her, that UN ceremony was just a show to try and manipulate them. Those ambassadors were all disingenuous hacks, only concerned about their own reputations, so why did that medal mean so much to Drakken?

Shego threw herself onto the queen-size bed and stared up at the blue-green ceiling. Maybe that was what had drawn her to Drakken. Sure, she hated fixing other people's mistakes, but at least Drakken was straightforward and honest. He didn't keep secrets—not serious ones anyway—and he wore his heart on his sleeve. He even showed concern for Shego's own problems, though she was loath to share them.

Now as she lay on her back, reflecting on the past five years, Shego began to realize that Drakken was the only person who genuinely cared about her.

She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest. "Ugh! Please don't tell me I walked out on the one guy who would've done anything for me." She rolled onto her side. "But why didn't he try to stop me? He wanted me to stay, right?"

A beam of moonlight pierced through a gap in the drapery and landed on the nightstand, just inches from Shego's face. It reflected off a filmy object—a picture to be precise. It had been caught underneath the lampstand and had obviously lain there for many weeks, judging by its grainy blanket of dust. Shego slowly pulled the picture out from underneath the lamp and dusted it with the back of her glove.

She smiled as the image became clearer. "I remember this."

It was a picture of her at the pool just outside the timeshare lair. Drakken had taken it right after he drenched her with a torrential splash from his ridiculous high dive attempt. Of course, she was scowling in the picture, but Shego couldn't help but laugh at it now.

"Am I that scary when I frown like that? I guess I was pretty embarrassed, but at least Drakken was having a good time."

Suddenly, a warm feeling overcame her, making her heart race a little before relaxing into a steady rhythm.

"No way . . ." she whispered. "Well, maybe being alone all the time would get kinda boring."

Shego held the picture to her chest and sighed. Soon, her sighs deepened, and she fell into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Saltwater gently tickled her feet. Shego gasped as she opened her eyes and took in the beautiful vista. She was back at the cove outside Drakken's lair. Only now the sky was in that gray limbo that welcomes the dawn. A red orb was rising out of the sea, casting a fiery glow that warmed her bare skin. Shego looked down to see that she was sitting on the beach in her green bathing suit, letting the cool water wash over her lower half. It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. She breathed in the salty air and a euphoric feeling of peace veiled her heart. She was utterly alone and content. Or so she thought.

Shego kept wrapping her arms around nothing, as though she were trying to embrace the air.

_Something's missing. Why do I feel like I want to hold something?_

"Shego!" a voice called out from above.

It was Drakken standing on the edge of the bluff.

"Hey Drew! Come down here. There's something I want to show you."

_Hold on. Why am I calling him 'Drew' unironically?_

"No, Shego! You have to get up here or we're going to be late!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Shego, get up here right now!"

* * *

"Shego, get up or you're going to be late for breakfast!" Dementor shouted as he banged on the door. "I had it catered by Chez Mal! Do you have any idea how much it costs to order food up here in the middle of nowhere?!"

Shego shot a plasma bolt at the door, disintegrating a hole right where Dementor's face was.

"I'll be there when I'm ready!" she roared.

Dementor blinked several times at the hole. "Fine, but your white chocolate caramel latte is getting colder by ze second!"

He walked away, quietly sipping his own latte.

Shego groaned and propped herself up with one arm. She glanced down to see the picture still pressed tightly against her bosom. Thankful that she hadn't crushed it in her sleep, she tucked it away in one of the outer pockets of her suitcase.

She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. Though she wanted nothing more than to lay in bed and fantasize about her dream, she knew she had to get to work. After all, if she didn't live out her villainous creed then she might as well go back to Drakken.

Still, she recalled the subtle warmth of her dream and smiled. "I knew part of me was still at that cove."

* * *

"I cannot believe you skipped breakfast!" Dementor shouted, slamming his fists on the dining room table. "I offer you my hospitality and you do not even acknowledge it? You know, there are certain rules of etiquette I expect my students to uphold."

Shego sat down at the table and crossed her legs. "I'm not your student. I'm your employee."

"Well then, let's get down to business, shall we? Franz!"

One of Dementor's henchmen ran to the table and handed him a cylindrical metal object.

"This is a Tritium fuel rod—the power source for my new Subterranean Vaporizer."

"Oh, drilling into the mantle, prof? Drakken already tried that—didn't go too well."

He formed an 'X' with his arms. "Incorrect! I intend to sabotage the Demends family reunion by vaporizing the entire Turlock Basin, cutting off the water supply for California's major cities!"

"Hold on! Let me get this straight. You're cutting millions of people off from their water just so you can skip your family reunion?"

"Yes, what is wrong with zat?"

"Oh, nothing much, really. Just, ya know, _everything_! If you don't want to go, then don't go. I mean, at least Drakken's plans had some coherence."

"Do not compare me to that babbling blue buffoon! Oh, you've ruined my morning. And I can't just not show up. Then my mother will jingle me, and I'll have to come up with an excuse. Then she'll make me promise to come to the next one and everyone will want to know why I wasn't at last year's. No, it's not worth it."

"Then go to the reunion, sign the book, and get out."

Dementor waved his arms in an outrageous manner. "No! Zat is out of ze question. I cannot risk getting dragged into one of Myron's kuku clock lectures. The man has more kuku clocks than all of Switzerland!"

Shego raised her hands defensively. "Alright, I get it. I understand the whole not wanting to be associated with your family thing. So, where's this fuel cell?"

"The Tritium fuel rod is at a military instillation in southern Nevada. One of my henchmen will fly you to it."

"Wait. Not even Drakken was crazy enough to send me into a military base on my own. He at least gave me a giant poodle."

"Come now, Shego. This should be a simple task for someone of your skills. Drakken told me you were ze best of ze best. You wouldn't want to prove him wrong, would you?"

Shego leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Alright. When do I leave?"

"Immediately! Once you reach ze drop-off point, breach the base's nuclear containment facility. It holds many hazardous materials, so the lockdown sequence will be initiated as soon as you enter. Then you will be free to take the Tritium fuel rod and go."

"Is that it? This'll be easy money."

"Don't count on it, Shego. Many of those materials emit lethal levels of radiation, including the Tritium. It will take an extreme amount of caution if you wish to return unscarred."

"Don't worry, prof." She tapped her Cell Rejuvenation Belt. "I won't go down easy."

"Fine. Go! My students never listen to my advice!"

Shego rose and left the timeshare lair, wanting desperately to get as far away from Dementor as possible. A few minutes passed and one of Dementor's henchman approached him with no small amount of anxiety.

He saluted the professor. "Sir, the target has left the perimeter. Shall we pursue?"

Dementor waved his hand as he sipped his latte. "Yes, Franz, Follow her. Make sure she returns to Drakken in a body bag."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shego stopped outside the nuclear containment facility and leaned against its concrete wall. "Not much of a military base without guards."

The chopper had dropped her off on a desert mesa not far to the north, but after an hour of scouting the perimeter, she hadn't seen a single scientist or soldier.

"I've got a bad feeling about this. Better get in there and get out quick."

She ignited the Goinium circuits in her arms and flared her plasma claws to life. She melted through the wall and stepped inside the facility. Immediately, the alarm sounded and the emergency lockdown began.

She breathed in the burning antiseptic air. "The thrill of the steal. Never gets old."

There were several racks lined with metal cases, all containing nuclear fuel rods of one sort or another. Shego found the case labeled "Tritium" and threw it open. She was amazed to find that it held at least twelve rods.

_Are these things really that rare? And he only needed one?_

She decided to save the questions for later and grabbed a rod. She ran to the exit—the melted gap in the wall—but quickly flipped through the air as a volley of gunfire rang out. She disintegrated some of the bullets in mid-air with a spread shot of plasma bolts, but three found their mark and pierced her abdomen.

"Ugh!" Her face contorted as she gripped her stomach with both hands, letting the fuel rod clink hollowly against the metal floor. "What the hell? Who would shoot a gun in a place like this?"

She followed the bullets' trajectory and saw ten of Dementor's gray-clad goons perched in the scaffolding above. They all had good cover, so there was no way she could fight them head on.

"That bastard set me up!" Shego grunted as she dove behind a stack of Uranium drums.

As she anticipated, the gunfire ceased. They weren't going to risk hitting a drum and causing a radiation leak.

Shego stared down at her gloves that were dyed red. "Damn, that's a lot of blood. . . ."

She reached for one of the canisters on he r Cell Rejuvenation Belt but stopped when she heard the assassins closing in on her. They were quick and silent—nothing like their boss.

_They're maneuvering around me to get a clear shot and draw me out into the open._ _If I don't think of something quick, I'm done for._

She thought hard, but only one option presented itself: spray the hazardous materials with her plasma and hope to cause a big enough explosion to cover her escape. She noticed a section of fuel rods labeled "VOLATILE" and shot a ray of plasma in their direction. A nuclear blast resounded, causing a chain reaction throughout the facility.

"Well, that was dumb."

She charged across the room and dove through the gap, but just as she escaped, the entire building erupted in a red-hot fireball, launching Shego several meters across the desert. She skid over the sands, rolling with her momentum until she finally crashed into a large rock formation.

"Let's not . . . do that . . . again."

She raised herself up onto her knees and leaned against the giant rock. Her entire body burned and every breath brought with it excruciating pain. Her vision blurred and she could feel her body growing weaker.

She reached down to her belt and fumbled with one of the canisters.

_If I don't inject this stuff quick, I'll pass out from the pain and bleed to death._

She screwed the lid off the canister and pulled out three syringes of blue liquid.

_What did Drakken say about the recommended dose? Was it one syringe or one canister?_

She didn't have time to hesitate. Her consciousness was already slipping. With a grunt she injected all three syringes into her abdomen and a fluid warmth rushed through her body like lava. She clutched her stomach and breathed rapidly as her heart raced to life. Slowly, the three bullets were forced out of her wounds as the serum regenerated her muscle and skin. She felt some of her ribs set back into place as well as some bones in her right leg and pelvis. It was a torturous, intrusive feeling—like molten iron flowing underneath her skin, filling in the fractures, and hardening to restore her frame.

Shego laid in the sand, breathing rapidly as she waited for her body to cool off. "It worked. . . . Drakken . . . He saved my life, didn't he?" Hot tears streamed down her face. "I abandoned him and he saved me."

_Shut off the waterworks, Shego. Dementor could have more goons in the area._

She rose slowly, supporting herself against the rock. Her head was still swooning, but at least the pain was drawing back. She took a few cautious steps and then broke into a sprint but promptly tripped over something submerged in the sand.

"Was that really necessary?" she groaned, ripping the object out of the ground.

She was shocked to find it was a fuel rod, completely intact, though whether it contained Tritium she knew not. It didn't matter. Dementor had long lost the right to be picky.

Shego looked out over the smoldering remains of the containment facility. It was so bright she had to shield her eyes and the heat hazed her body even though the blast had flung her a mile away. Several sections of the desert had instantly turned to glass. Shego marveled at the broiling tempest surrounded by crystal dunes. It was a strange phenomenon, almost beautiful. Though it was a violent scene, Shego could not help but feel a sense of peace in her solitude. Much like the cove on Drakken's island, this sublime vista was hers alone. Of course, it couldn't stay that way.

_I've gotta get out of here before the military or any reporters show up._

Shego ran across the desert with no particular plan. She just wanted to keep running—to run all the way back to Drakken and beg his forgiveness. Suddenly, two black choppers flew by overhead. She dove to the ground, but they didn't seem to notice her. She assumed they were Dementor's men, fleeing the crime scene just like her. She decided to follow them back to the lair.

"Dementor better have my check ready."

* * *

Shego threw open the door and stormed into the timeshare lair. Professor Dementor jumped out of his seat, spilling hot cocoa all over his nightgown.

"Shego!" he shouted, reaching for the alarm switch.

She zapped his hand with a bolt of plasma.

"Ow!" He blew on his hand pitifully. "How? How did you survive? My men said they left the compound a hellscape! The radiation alone should have torn you apart!"

"I told you I wouldn't go down easy."

"No! This was not how the plan was supposed to go at all! You were supposed to die so I could watch Drakken cry like a whimpering schoolboy, and zen your Louis Vuitton suitcase would have been all mine!"

Shego clenched her fists and they roared with crackling plasma. "You wanted to make Drakken cry?!"

"Well, yes. I'm not very fond of him, as you know. He makes a mockery out of us real villains."

Shego grabbed both ends of the fuel rod and started melting it with her plasma.

"Are you insane?! Don't melt ze fuel rod. You will kill us both! Just put the rod on ze ground and we can both get out of zis alive."

Shego wanted to tell him all the various other places she'd like to put the fuel rod, but she held her tongue. She wasn't exactly in a joking mood.

"You're not the most observant professor, are you? It only took Drakken a week to figure out that the Goinium in my body protects me from radiation damage."

Dementor flailed his arms in the air. "What? Are you some comic book anti-hero now? Has the world gone mad?!"

Shego melted the rod, letting its powdery contents spill on the floor.

"Oh, look! Now you've contaminated ze timeshare lair. Do you have any idea how much hazmat specialists charge by ze hour? I might as well build a new one!" He paused "Actually, zat's not a bad idea."

Dementor flipped the lair's self-destruct switch and activated his jetpack. "Farewell, Frӓulein Shego! One day, your fancy suitcase will be mine!"

Laughing maniacally, he flew out the window but made certain to grab his cup of cocoa on the way out. Likewise, Shego bolted up the stairs and smashed through the door into her room. She grabbed her suitcase and blew a hole in the wall. Just as she made the jump, the lair exploded. Shego landed in the pool, followed by large chunks of the outer wall which she nimbly evaded.

She climbed out of the pool, gasping for breath and threw her suitcase on the ground. "I need a shower and a warm bed."

The timeshare lair was on an isolated mountain, and she knew there was a small town at the base of it—a town that should have a motel. Of course, her uniform was irradiated and riddled with bullet holes, so she would have to change. She clenched her teeth and tore it off, as parts of it had melted onto her skin. To her amazement, the patches of skin it tore off were quickly replaced.

_Looks like Drakken's stims haven't worn off. I hope it's supposed to do that._

She changed into her pencil skirt and blue sweater since it was the most inconspicuous outfit she had. "Alright. Time to find a place to crash."

* * *

Shego threw herself onto a rickety old bed and dust shot out around her. She had checked in to the most run-down motel in town, which was fine with her. She was used to laying low after a heist.

Her head was still swimming. In fact, it hadn't stopped ever since she had taken the stims. Her body was screaming for rest, but she desperately needed a shower. There was no telling what sort of chemicals still clung to her.

She pushed herself up off the bed and sighed. "I don't think I've ever felt so dirty in my life."

The shower was quite filthy, but she was about to make it even worse once she washed off all the contaminants on her skin. She spent half an hour scrubbing her body but the strange feeling in her head never left. She rested a moment and let the water beat against her back. She ran her fingers across her stomach, tracing three small circles where the bullets had been lodged just a few hours previous.

"Drakken really did save my life. . . . I'll never be able to repay him."

She felt tears dripping off the corners of her eyes.

"What? Why am I crying?"

Her body started trembling and the tears rushed out even harder.

"Wait. Wha-what's going on? Why can't I stop?"

She turned off the water and threw on her bathrobe. Almost against her will, she stumbled over to the bed and knelt at its edge with her face in her arms.

"Oh ho-ho-ho! Uwa ha-ha! Wh-why am I bawling like a little girl? I-I can't stop."

It was as though all the pressure from the past few days was finally sinking in.

"Drakken . . . He saved an evil, selfish girl like me. Why did I abandon him? I should've supported him like always, but he was asking for so much."

Indeed, giving up on evil meant having to become an entirely new person. She would have to get out in a world she didn't consider her own and cooperate with people who would try to take advantage of her. It was scary, but the idea of eternal solitude was even scarier.

Shego stood up and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I can't keep living like this—like I'm the only person in the world. Not when there are people like Drakken who care so much about me."

She threw herself on the bed and sighed. "He'll forgive me, right? Of course he will, he's Drakken. But I can't sound too desperate. It'll make me look . . ."

_Weak_

Shego had constructed her entire identity around strength and intimidation. To admit weakness was to admit her life was a lie, but was it not weakness to rely on Drakken when she was inches away from death? No, she had to ignore that, but how? In that moment, Drakken's compassion had been revealed but so had her weakness. She wanted only the former to be true, but that was impossible. After all, people only give compassion to those who need it.

Shego grabbed her hair with both hands and grimaced. "Ugh! This pleading for forgiveness thing just isn't my style." She shrugged. "It's not like I need to. He'll be the one pleading—pleading for me to come back."

Shego jerked the covers over herself and stared up at the ceiling. For half an hour, she lay awake, contemplating her narrow escape. It frightened her to think that her life had hung on the edge of a knife. She had always thought herself so powerful—invincible even—but now she realized that even she could be killed, and in seeing her vulnerability she saw the vulnerability of those closest to her.

_What if Dementor goes after Drakken while I'm gone?_

Shego shot up from her bed, grabbed her suitcase and burst out of her room and onto the street. Luckily, there was a bus stop where she could catch a ride to the airport. She sat down on a bench, letting the soft rain douse her hair.

It was torture. Every muscle in her body tensed up at the thought of Drakken's peril, yet she had to wait in the rain for a bus like a dreary office commuter. She tried calling him with shaking fingers and her heart chilled with each passing ring.

He never answered and Shego nearly crushed the cell phone in her taloned grasp. "Dammit, Drakken! If you die, I'll never forgive you!"

Her mind was a storm of rage and anxiety, but the coming headlights over the distant hill pierced through the sheets of mist and illuminated her lonesome figure, casting a light of clarity and shame.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was already evening on the next day by the time Shego returned to Drakken's lair. She parked her jet ski and marveled at the sea's red-orange reflections, recalling her dream from the night before last. The sun would be setting soon. She knew that cove would offer a stunning view, but this was no time for blissful sightseeing. She had to confirm Drakken's safety.

Shego nervously rapped her fist against the steel blue door of the lair. It was a strange feeling to have to knock, despite Drakken's potential peril. For years, the lair had felt like her home, but now she wasn't sure if he would welcome her back.

The door slid open and Drakken emerged, shaking his fist wildly. "If you're here to sell me those Encyclopedias of Evil, don't bother. I—Shego!"

He threw his arms around her waist, hugging her so hard he lifted her off the ground, though only slightly.

Quite relieved to find him well, Shego awkwardly placed her hands on his shoulders. "Calm down Dr. D. I was only gone for two days."

"Uh, so are you gonna put me down or do I have to blast you off?" She tried to sound annoyed, but she was secretly quite pleased that he missed her so badly.

Drakken quickly released her and took a wide step back. "Heh-heh, sorry."

She put her hands on her hips. "So, Dementor hasn't been around, has he?"

Drakken furrowed his brow. "No, not unless he was disguised as an encyclopedia salesman."

"Great. . . . Can I come in?"

"Yes, of course!" He beckoned her inside, and she followed, dragging her suitcase behind her. "You _are_ coming back to work for me, right? You didn't just forget something like your makeup case?"

"Yeah, I'm in for the long haul." Her eyes widened. "Wait. How did you know I left that?"

"Oh, lucky guess."

Drakken sprinted to his filing cabinet, furiously flipped through it, and ripped out Shego's contract. "Now, let's renegotiate the terms of your contract. I think you'll find my new proposals quite favorable. How does four weeks of paid vacation and your own kitchenette sound?"

She snatched the folder out of his hand and incinerated it with a flash of plasma.

"I guess that's a no, then. . . . Shego! Why did you do that? You know I'm too old school to keep a digital copy!"

Shego blew the ash off her hand. "I said I was in for the long haul, didn't I? Don't think of me as an employee—more like a partner in crime or whatever it is you're into now."

Drakken clasped his hands and beamed at her. "You mean you're going to work for me, and I don't have to pay you? Oh, I must be dreaming! Well, I hope this isn't the one where I accidentally put in the wrong tape at karaoke night and you manage to upstage me."

"Wake up, Dr. D. You've still gotta put me up, and I want in on everything you're doing around here, evil or not. . . . And I upstage you _every_ karaoke night."

Drakken sat down at his desk and crossed his arms. "Fine, but don't expect any thrilling heists or convoluted doomsday plots. I really am taking a break from evil."

"I know, I know. You're an honest man now and that's okay. I just wanna help out with whatever you've got going on—even if it's super boring. Just no housework, got it?"

Drakken furrowed his brow. "That's uncharacteristically kind of you, Shego. Well, I'm not that busy right now, so you can—"

"Oh, really? And what's up with that giant stack of papers on your desk? Wait. Weren't you working on that when I left?"

Drakken leaped in front of the papers. "Why are you being so nosy? I didn't ask you why you were dressed like a flirtatious office worker."

Shego stiffened and covered herself with her arms. "I got into a little scrape, okay? I had to change. Now come on, what's with all the paperwork? You finally decided to pay your back taxes?"

"No, but did you have to remind me?!" He groaned and clenched his fists. "I was supposed to keep this a secret, but I guess you'll find out sooner or later. That's my college application."

"Oh no."

"That's right, Shego. You're looking at a PhD candidate for the International University of Villainy!"

"A university for villains?" Shego laughed. "Sorry, Dr. D, but there's no way a school like that is accredited."

"Villains don't need accreditation. They live under their own authority."

"Yeah, that's nice, but what happened to taking a break from evil? You know, the reason I left?"

"I'll be studying evil, not committing it. There's a difference. And besides, you know what they say about choosing a college degree—best to stick with what you know."

Shego sighed. "Ugh, fine, whatever, but if you ask me, this is just a waste of time. A PhD isn't exactly gonna help you conquer the world."

Drakken clasped her shoulder. "This isn't about world domination, Shego. I just want my brilliance to be recognized by fellow evil geniuses."

"Uh-huh, ya sure you're not just worried that Kimmy's gonna get a college degree before you do?"

"Ha! That's absurd! I don't need a degree to prove that I'm smarter than a teenager. . . . Besides, I already did the math. As long as my credits transfer, I should graduate before she does."

"Yeah, but at least she'll have a degree from a real school."

Drakken clenched his fists and groaned. "What does it matter? I'm perfectly confident in my own blue skin, and I thought you said you were going to help me!"

Shego recoiled, somewhat offended. "Of course I want to help you. I want to help you make the decisions that are best for you and trust me, this is _not_ one of 'em."

Drakken blinked several times. "Shego, I had no idea you cared so much about me. Thank you."

Her face reddened and she stared down at the floor. "I-uh-well . . ."

Drakken poked her arm. "What's the matter, Shego? Did a little sincere gratitude short-circuit your brain?"

Shego swatted his hand away. "Hey, you can't mock me. That's not how this relationship works."

"Fine." He rubbed his hand gingerly. "Actually, speaking of our relationship, can I be perfectly honest for a moment?"

Her eyes widened and she nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, sure, but let's take this somewhere else. I've been walking all day and these heels are killin' me."

Shego took off her shoes and sat down on a nearby sofa while Drakken ran deeper into the lab for some unconceivable reason.

She hugged one of the cold, hard pillows against her stomach and sighed. "What if he asks me why I'm being so nice? Should I tell him about the stims? No, can't give him too much clout."

Drakken returned with two glasses of cocoa moo and set one on a coaster in front of her. He then sat down in a chair at her side and sipped his cocoa moo in utter contentment.

Shego frowned. "You know you can sit next to me, Dr. D."

"No, I think I'll stay over here—just out of claw's reach." He cleared his throat and set his glass aside. "Now, about our relationship . . . um, what is it exactly?"

"I told you. I'm like your partner in crime."

"Well, yes, but we're not committing any crime, so . . . we're just partners then?

"Yeah, partners . . ." She squirmed in her seat. "Look, since we're being honest, I need to say a few things. After I left, I did a lot of thinking and I realized that my place is here with you." She clenched her fists as if she was about to explode from embarrassment. "So let me support you, alright?!"

Drakken smiled slightly. "Shego, I can't believe it. That was exactly what I thought after you left."

"Wait. Seriously?"

"Yes! Once you were gone, I realized that you were the only constant force in my life. Without you, my life had no structure, no purpose. I was just a raving lunatic!"

"Pretty sure you are with or without me, but thanks. That means a lot, Drakken."

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot to her head and she doubled over.

"What's wrong? All the niceness hurting your brain?"

"No, it's . . . just a migraine. I might go lay down for a bit. I'm exhausted."

Shego stood up, grabbed her suitcase, and started walking toward her room, but Drakken nimbly jumped in front of her, waving his arms wildly. "Uh, actually, why don't you let me take a look at that migraine? I am a doctor after all."

"Yeah, ask me again when you've got an MD by your name, and you know what we agreed on—no scanning, no probing, and no blood tests."

"Indeed, and no contract to bind me to those terms. Come now, Shego."

He started to put his arm around her, but She pushed him away. "Hey, just because we don't have a contract doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. This is my home too, you know."

"Can't I have a little concern for my partner?" He glanced down at the floor. "And there's something you should know about your home. . . ."

"Oh no. Don't tell me—"

"Now listen, Shego. When the wayward daughter comes home, she can't expect everything to be exactly the same."

Shego grabbed him by his collar. "Call me a wayward daughter again and I'll throw you through a wall. Now, what did you do?"

Even though she was inches from his face, he couldn't meet her eyes. "I might have turned your room into my own personal gym."

"You did what?!"

She staggered back, her form trembling. It was all quite absurd, even for Drakken.

"Hear me out, Shego. With you gone, I realized I'd have to handle more of the grunt work—I mean, heavy lifting. . . . I knew I'd have to learn how to handle myself in a fight, so a gym seemed like the logical conclusion."

"But I was only gone for two days!"

"Well, the henchmen helped me move the equipment, but don't worry—they can't use it."

"No, I mean, you started tearing up my room right after I left? Weren't you—oh, I don't know—upset that I had abandoned you?!"

Drakken's eyes widened. "Shego, I'm shocked. After all these years you still don't understand how I handle grief."

She covered her face with her hands. "Why did I have to ask?"

"I tore up your room _because_ I was so upset! I'm a mad scientist—I deal with my emotions by devising ridiculous projects, and I had to do something with your room. Every time I walked by that door, I remembered the halcyon days of years past when we would suffer humiliating defeats at the hands of a teenage girl and how it never failed that no matter how brilliant a scheme I concocted, you had a sarcastic comment loaded in the chamber, ready to fire at my tender ego. I had to find some way to move on, but deep down I knew that I could never forget those days and that I would never use the new gym."

"You spent hours practicing that little monologue, didn't you?"

He scowled at her. "Only one."

"Well, I'm touched, Drakken . . . but where am I supposed to sleep?"

"Just use my room. I never sleep there."

Shego crossed her arms into an "X" shape. "No way! You only get one hour of sleep a day and it better be as restful as possible."

Drakken stepped closer and whispered, "Shego, please avoid using the p-word whenever . . . well, you know." He resumed a dignified stance. "And I assure you, I'm perfectly comfortable sleeping in my desk chair."

"Oh yeah? Let's ask your spine, shall we?"

Shego spun around and playfully kicked him in the back. With a sharp yelp he doubled over, gripping his lower back.

He turned around and shook his fist at her. "Agh! That proves nothing. You know I've had a weak lumbar region since I was a boy."

She folded her arms and stared down at him. "Uh-huh. Face it, Drakken. You're ruining your health staying up like this. You need to learn how to take care of yourself."

"Who are you, my mother? Are you going to bring me a heating pad and another glass of cocoa moo . . . because that would be quite kind."

Shego flared her plasma claws. "Sure, Dr. D. I've got two heating pads right here and I'm about to slam 'em into your back if you don't go to bed right now—come on."

He recoiled slightly. "A thuggish woman like you could never understand."

She extinguished her hands in shock. "Excuse me?"

Drakken raised his arms and gazed at the expansive ceiling in wonder. "This room is more than just a lab. It's a part of me—like a dark alcove in my heart. When I sleep here it doesn't just heal my body." He wiped a tear from his eye. "It heals my soul."

Shego stared at him, her mouth wide open, then burst into a frenzy of hyenic cackling. "Oh, that was just too great!"

"Shego, I was being sincere."

"I know, I know. Why do ya think I'm laughing?" She put her arm around him and started leading him up the stairs. "Now come on. Let's go to bed."

Drakken jerked away from her. "Um, I know you've been gone a while so in case you forgot—there's only one bed in my room! Even a social novice like me has boundaries."

Shego withdrew into herself, hunching over and crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, right. . . . S-sorry."

She had made a huge mistake. She was having such a fun conversation with Drakken and now it was ruined. How could she be so careless? No, it was not carelessness at all. She had grown so comfortable talking with him that her reclusive barrier had fallen, releasing her natural feelings.

_Who's the social novice here?_

"Well, Drakken, I'll just go now. . . . And thanks for letting me use your room."

"Shego, you do realize it's my fault you have to use it at all?" He put his hand to his chin. "You're acting very strange."

"I've lived with you for five years—I deserve to be a little strange every once in a while!"

With no small amount of shame, she ran up the stairs and found Drakken's room at the end of the corridor. In all her years at the lair, she had never once seen the inside of Drakken's room, though she had a vague idea of what to expect: An all but abandoned hovel.

She opened the door to find that she was not far off the mark in her assumptions. There was a wide bed, blanketed with dust but otherwise perfectly adequate, especially for one like Shego whose body was utterly exhausted. There was a simple black nightstand with a wrought iron lamp that somehow made the windowless room even darker. Next to the nightstand was a matching dresser that was completely bare save for an empty picture frame. It was quite an unsettling piece of décor, but Shego was hardly fazed. She knew Drakken was just the type of insane, introverted intellectual who would prop up an empty picture frame in his room.

Seeing the frame, Shego remembered the picture she had taken from the timeshare lair. She took the photo out of her suitcase and started to put it in the frame but stopped when she noticed that it had a much thinner coating of dust than the dresser beneath it.

"So Drakken took the photo out recently, but he left the frame sitting here. Okay—maybe a _little_ creepy."

She set the frame aside and looked down at the picture in her hands—more specifically at the scowling countenance that stared back at her. For some reason, it gave her a sense of warmth—a subtle joy of sorts. It was a strange feeling. Shego wasn't one to get sentimental over anything, let alone a picture. Of course, she had been experiencing a litany of unusual feelings over the past two days, so what was one more?

"Definitely not my best look." she murmured. "I wish I had smiled for him."

She dropped the picture on the nightstand and changed into her green velvet pajamas. She let herself fall sideways onto the bed and crawled under the covers that were still tucked tightly beneath the mattress. She felt as though she were getting into the freshly made bed of a hotel room. There really was no sign that Drakken had been living here. Even the air had no scent.

As she lay in the stillness, her thoughts drifted to that dreadful conversation she had with Drakken moments earlier.

_What was so wrong about what I said? I'm just worried about his health. I don't care if we sleep together, as long as he sleeps at all._

Shego laughed quietly to herself.

_That's just silly. He'd never agree to that . . . but what if I told him that he saved my life and that I want to take care of him? No, I can't look weak in front of him, but it's only a matter of time. He can already tell I'm acting strange._

Shego pulled at her hair and screamed. "That idiot! We've lived together for five years. It'd be strange if I _didn't_ care about him. Maybe I should've been clearer with my intentions. . . . It's not like it matters anyway. He'll forget about it by morning."

* * *

When Shego woke up, she changed into her uniform and immediately headed towards the lab, ignoring the protests of her splitting headache that had now multiplied in intensity.

She winced and gripped her head. "Maybe I should figure out how to do my own brain scan. . . ."

The lab was oddly quiet and upon closer inspection she found the reason why—Drakken was sleeping soundly on the sofa. He was laying on his back with his hands clasped over his stomach. It was quite a funereal image, but Shego could tell he had fallen asleep, quite satisfied with whatever he was working on.

"I can't believe it. He actually listened to me." She couldn't help but smile. "I guess I'll go for a walk on the beach."

She opened the blue steel door and Drakken sat up with a start.

"Wah!" he screamed. "Shego, where are you going? I was just about to execute the next step in my plan."

Shego returned inside and leaned over the back of the sofa. "Really? Ya sure you didn't dream up your plan? Is that how you gave up being evil? You're an honest man in the real world, but you live out your doomsday fantasies in your dreams?"

"I was referring to my college application." He ran to his desk and grabbed a binder that was a good three inches thick. "It's complete! And just in time—it has to be postmarked by tomorrow."

He bounded down the corridor, clutching the binder to his chest like a nervous schoolboy. "Come on, Shego. Let's go to the post office."

"You're kidding, right? Why do I have to come?"

"Because we're making another stop on our way back. There's just one more obstacle I have to overcome in my pursuit for academic acclaim."

"And what kind of obstacle is that?"

"A financial one—I need a loan for my tuition."

Shego doubled over laughing. "Oh, this is great! It's tough being a good guy, huh?"

"Yes," he growled. "but don't worry. Just because I'm living a clean life doesn't mean I'll let them swindle me."

"So you want me to do some aggressive negotiating?"

Drakken smiled shyly. "Would you be so kind?"

Shego took his hand and continued down the corridor. "Come on, Dr. D. Let's get your student loan so you can go to super villain school."

"I'm not a child, Shego. I can handle my own finances. By the way, how does fifteen percent interest sound, or do you think I could shoot for twelve?"

"Yeah, maybe you should go back to bed."

* * *

Shego sat down next to Drakken on a white leather loveseat. It was a little cramped, but she tried not to show her discomfort. Across from her, in a high-back leather armchair sat Señor Senior, Senior.

The old man smiled at his guests. "Ah, Dr. Drakken, it is an honor to have you join me in my lair on this fine day, ripe for ruining." His eyes narrowed at Shego. "Though I cannot say the same for your imperious vixen."

Shego jumped up and leaned over him. "Call me that again, gramps, and I'll feed you to—"

Drakken grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down to her seat. "My apologies, Senior. It seems my assistant doesn't know when to hold her tongue."

Shego clenched her teeth and slumped down in her seat.

"All is forgiven, Doctor." Senior folded his hands over the head of his cane. "Now, to what do I owe this great pleasure?"

"You didn't tell him why you were coming?" Shego whispered harshly.

Drakken elbowed her and leaned forward. "You see, Senior, I recently applied to a PhD program at the International University of Villainy."

"Ah, I have many friends from IUV."

"How is that possible?!" Drakken yelled, suddenly outraged. "IUV is the most exclusive evil society in the world!"

"Well, it helps to sponsor their most prestigious scholarship."

Drakken's jaw dropped. "You fund the Doomsday Grant?"

"Indeed." He furrowed his brow. "You sadden me, Doctor. I would expect a man of your talents to do his research."

"Well, forgive my ignorance, but they are very protective of their associates."

"Yes, I suppose that's true. . . . Well, I'm sure the university would be most fortunate to have you."

"Yes, yes, I know they'll accept me, but there's a slight issue."

"Oh?"

"After rebuilding my lair, I'm a little low on funds, so I hope you'll consider me for your scholarship."

Senior's eyes widened. "Ah, and the truth reveals itself, and what a sad truth it is. I'm afraid I must disappoint you, Doctor."

"What do you mean?"

"I would love nothing more than to support your villainous academic endeavors, but you must understand I have a reputation to uphold—an evil reputation, yes, but a reputation nonetheless. You see, if word got out that I was backing a villain who is on an evil hiatus, my bad name would be ruined."

"You know about my evil hiatus?!"

"_Everyone_ knows about it, Doctor. Do you not read the headlines? 'The Dragon has been de-clawed,' 'the Dragon sleeps in his lair,' 'the Dragon hordes his treasure from the UN,' and other such reptilian metaphors. They grew quite tiresome, really."

Drakken threw his hands in the air. "Wonderful! Every villain in the world knows I'm getting soft. Fine, forget the scholarship. Let's talk loans. All I need is two hundred thousand dollars."

Senior sighed and shook his head. "It is a paltry sum, yes, but I'm afraid I must decline. You must understand what a difficult position I am in, Doctor—it is too risky. Why don't you use that—oh, what do you commoners call it—financial aid?"

"Financial aid? The government's not going to pay for me to get a degree in Evil Science. . . . Well, now that I think about it—"

Shego grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Senior. "Come on, Drakken. This is going nowhere."

He tried desperately to wrench his arm away from her. "Shego, I won't let you shatter my dreams of academic acclaim!"

"I know, Dr. D. Just leave it to me, okay?"

She released him and walked over to Señor Senior, Junior who was sitting at his desk, absently flipping through a magazine.

The young man looked up at her and smiled. "Shego, when did you get here?"

"Hey, Junior, ya got two hundred grand I can borrow?"

He immediately pulled out his checkbook and started filling it out. "Of course! Anything for the woman who helped save my father's birthday."

He handed her the check and Senior shot up from his chair in protest. "Junior, what did I teach you about spending your money wisely?"

"Um, Father, you never taught me anything about spending my money wisely."

He stroked his chin. "Oh, that's right. Well, what's done is done. Come, Junior. Let us leave this green, ghoulish femme fatale and practice flaunting our exorbitant wealth."

"Whatever you say, Father."

Shego ignored them and gave Drakken the check.

"I can't believe it! That was brilliant, Shego! How did you—" His eyes focused on the check. "Wait, he made this check out to you, Shego."

"That's right."

He crumpled the check in his fist. "Then I still can't pay for my tuition! How could you betray me like this?!"

She snatched the flimsy piece of paper out of his hand. "Could you calm down for one second? _I'm_ gonna pay for it."

He beamed at her and wiped his eyes. "Shego, that's . . . I-I don't know what to say." He shakily reached his arms out toward her. "Can I give you a hug—a real one?"

She trembled slightly. "Well, yeah, I guess. . . ."

Shego put her arms around his neck and released a sigh. She felt his arms around her waist and her face quickly reddened.

She pushed him away. "Okay, that's enough. Let's just go home."

"Yes, and then, off to the academy."

* * *

Two months had passed, and the cool autumn air was crystallizing into snowbound winds. Shego hated winter. The ceilings in the lair were so high that it was difficult to heat, but more importantly, winter was the island's stormy season, so she wouldn't get many chances to walk on the beach.

She was sitting in the lab, trying to ease her throbbing head when Drakken barreled in with two massive suitcases and a backpack.

"Well, Shego, it's finally time to embark on my academic adventure."

"They already accepted you?" She jumped up and ran over to him. "And where did you get this stuff? I know it wasn't in your room."

"Of course they accepted me—I'm a mad genius! That application was just a formality."

"Well, alright, but you better study hard. Don't forget I'm footing the bill."

Shego winced and grabbed the sides of her head.

Drakken's face fell. "Is that migraine still bothering you? Why don't you let me do a brain scan before I go?"

She thrust out her hand. "No, that's okay, but . . . uh, do you remember those stims you gave me before I left?

"My Cell Rejuvenating Super Serum?"

"Yeah, that one. Let's just say I took three of those at once—what would happen?"

"Instant death, I'd imagine."

Her eyes widened. "Okay, great, but what did you test it on?"

"Oh, just a few rats and eventually myself. Why are you interrogating me like this? Did you misuse the serum?"

She backed away, holding up her hands defensively. "No! Wh-why would you think that? I was just stalling because I don't want you to leave."

Drakken dropped his bags and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Oh, Shego, there's no need to be sad. I'll be back before you know it. This is just one step on my quest for world domination—er, I mean validation."

She gave him a sullen look. "Yeah, I know, but you better call me every day, and please try to take care of yourself."

He laughed pleasantly. "Whatever you say, Shego. Now, I'm off to make the greatest breakthrough in evil science the world has ever known!"

"Uh-huh. Have fun, Dr. D."

"Farewell, Shego. I shall return!"

He bolted through the blue steel door and it slammed behind him, blowing in the chill air.

Shego shivered slightly and sighed. "It's gonna be a long winter."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Shego grabbed a towel as she stepped out of the gym that, until two months ago, had been her bedroom. Drakken's sudden departure had left her in a daze of twisted emotions and the only way to expel them was through exercise. Moreover, ever since taking Drakken's stimulants, she often found herself with an excess of energy that threatened to drive her insane if she did not expend it posthaste.

She entered the lab and sprawled herself across the floor, more out of mental exhaustion than physical. In fact, after two hours of strenuous training, she was hardly fatigued.

"Pretty sure it's a bad sign if your heart rate lowers while you exercise." she muttered under her breath.

She rapidly did fifty sit-ups but found that no matter how much energy she exerted, her muscles would not strain.

She jumped up and crossed her arms. "Well, if Drakken's serum did this, I'm not gonna complain, but I'll hav'ta look tired so he doesn't get suspicious."

She returned to Drakken's room—which felt even darker in the bleak of midwinter—and changed into her uniform. As she was putting on her makeup, she realized that she was running dangerously low on eye liner.

"Why do I even wear this stuff? It's not like I ever go anywhere."

With Drakken gone, she only wore makeup to force herself to leave the lair and buy more makeup. It had been her only contact with the outside world and she was grateful for it.

She took a jet ski to a coastal town that was riddled with tourist boutiques. She did not bother to learn the town's name. As far as she was concerned, it was just a supply base. She would stock up on whatever wares she needed and go. She was like a dragon—snatching up some treasure to take back to her lair and sleep in solitude.

Shego hopped off the ski and walked down the harbor to _Alizès_—a cosmetic shop that was a popular among girls much younger than her. She hastily grabbed what she needed and headed for the check-out. When she got to the register, she expected to see the kind elderly woman she had become acquainted with over the past few weeks, but today the cashier was a younger woman around Shego's age.

"Good morning—oh my gosh! Are you Shego?" asked the young clerk.

"Um, yeah." She glared at her. "You gonna call the cops?"

The clerk trembled and waved her arms in dismay. "No, of course not! Why would I do that?"

Shego clenched her fists. "Because I'm an escaped convict."

"Hm? But I saw you on the news getting some kind of medal."

She cringed and shrunk away from the petite girl. "Oh boy, you saw that?"

"Yeah, you saved the world! Will you sign my nametag?"

"You've got to be kidding me." She pointed at herself. "You want your customers to think you're me?"

"Silly, I want everyone to know that I met a hero."

Shego slammed her fist on the counter. "Now listen, princess. I am _not_ a hero."

The clerk shoved her nametag into Shego's face. "Please?"

"Alright, fine."

Shego swiped the metal plate out of her hand and scribbled her name on it with a marker that lay by the register.

"Here, um, Ashley, is it?

Ashley graciously took the nametag and stared at it in awe. "Oh, yes. Thank you so much!"

"Yeah, don't mention it. Really, don't."

Ashley hugged herself and swayed from side to side. "Oh, I can't believe Shego shops at our store! Hey, would you be interested in modelling our products?"

"Um, yeah, you really don't want someone like me associated with your establishment." She gripped the edge of the counter with her claws. "You know, because I'm evil!"

"No, you were seriously a hero—fighting on the front lines to protect the planet from an alien invasion. I wish I was as strong as you—then I could be with my husband."

Shego blinked several times. "Uh, come again?"

"Oh, sorry. My husband's in the Army and he got deployed to Afghanistan. Well, he's not allowed to tell me where exactly, but I think he's in that area. If I could fight like you, I could've gone with him." She laughed. "Now that I think about it, that's probably the last thing he needs. I'd just get in the way."

_What the hell? Why is she spilling her whole life story? I need to get outta here._

Shego flashed a rigid smile. "Yeah, you're probably right. Now could you ring me up? I'm kinda in a hurry."

"Oh, sorry." Ashley shakily scanned her items. "I know you're super busy, but just call the store if you change your mind about that modeling job."

"I-I'll think about it. See ya."

"Please come again, and don't be a stranger!"

Shego left the store and nearly ran down the harbor. "That was weird. Maybe I shouldn't go back there."

When Shego returned to the lair, the communications alarm sounded, causing her to drop her bags and spill their contents across the floor.

"Eer! If that's Drakken, he'd better be in trouble."

She stomped over to the monitor and punched the button to receive the signal.

Drakken's voice emerged from the computer, "Shego, I've got big news!"

"Uh-huh, are you hiding in a closet? I'm staring at a blank screen."

"I told you, Shego—the IUV is one of the most secret societies in the world. I'd be expelled if I disclosed its location."

"It's a miracle they haven't expelled you already."

"Unlike you, the faculty here recognize my genius. I have more experience in world domination than the entire student body combined."

"Yeah, and more failures."

"Argh! It's called trial-and-error, Shego. It's the true nature of science! Now, do you want to hear my good news or not?"

"Did ya win first place at the science fair?"

"Ha! I'll have you know, my name is going to be on five pieces of peer reviewed research by the time I graduate. Speaking of which, I'll be graduating in the spring, possibly February."

"What?! But you've only been there for two months? You can't get a PhD in half a year."

"You can if you're Dr. Drakken. I've been working on my dissertation my entire life . . . and it doesn't hurt to have all your credits transfer."

"Uh-huh, you sure they aren't just trying to get rid of you?"

"Well, why don't you come to the campus and ask them? I've spoken with the Board of Villains, and they agreed to let you watch my thesis defense next week."

"A thesis defense? I'd rather check myself back in to prison!"

"Shego, I'm hurt. Why can't you support my life's work?"

"I _have_ supported your life's work!" she yelled, flaring her plasma claws. "All I want to do is support you, but that's pretty tough when you run off without even telling me where you're going!"

"If I told you the university's location, it could put you in danger. Now, are you coming or not?"

"How am I supposed to get there if you won't tell me where to go?"

"I'll make arrangements for your transportation. Work with me, Shego. This is a sensitive process and I need your cooperation."

Shego gripped the sides of her head and screamed. "Agh! Fine, I'll go, but I better see a return on my investment."

Drakken laughed contentedly. "Oh, Shego, ye of little faith. Once I publish my research, I'll pay back your two hundred grand tenfold."

"More like your ego will inflate tenfold. I'll believe it when I see it."

"Oh, I'm so excited! I'll have to introduce you to all my friends. They're all very interested in your powers, but don't worry, I've already told them—no examinations."

"Yeah, I can't wait. Later, Drakken."

Shego shut off the monitor before he could respond.

She slumped down into a nearby desk chair and sighed. "Why did I yell at him like that? It's not like I care about the money. I mean, what's two hundred grand after he saved my life?"

Compassion is a difficult thing to muster in isolation. Just as the chill of winter had caused the warmth to retreat deeper into her body's more vital regions, so had her seclusion frosted her heart, choking those freshly sown seeds of compassion until they could no longer bear any fruit.

It was a strange feeling. Shego had lived most of her life in isolation, but just having Drakken around gave her a valuable output for her emotions. Now all her fear and sorrow boiled inside her and she ignored the emotions of others. She pridefully suffered in silence and expected everyone else to do the same.

Shego grimaced as pain shot to her head. "Ugh, listening to him gives me a headache. Maybe I should lie down for a bit."

She stumbled down the corridor to Drakken's room and threw herself on the bed. Her eyes wandered to the empty picture frame on the dresser where she saw a reflection of her pallid face.

"It's hard to believe he's doing something worthwhile." she murmured. "I know I should be happy for him, but can't he do his research at the lair? And it's not like he's made any real friends, right? They probably just talk about their greatest inventions and try to one-up each other all day."

Shego hugged one of the pillows. "Ugh, why am I so ungrateful? I know I should support him even when he's gone, but is it wrong to ask him to come back? It'll make me look weak, but can I really go on living like this?"

Shego ripped the pillow to shreds, dusting the bed in a coat of crushed feathers. "This is so frustrating! I don't even understand what's going on inside my own head. Maybe that brain scan wasn't a bad idea. . . . No, don't think about that, Shego. Drakken's the one you need to worry about. I'll ask him and see if he'll come back. I just hope he's the same mad scientist I've known for the last five years." She flared her claws. "I'll tear that school down if it takes him away from me."

* * *

A week passed and Shego slept and ate very little. There was a nervous excitement in her that no amount of exercise could quiet. Drakken had made no further contact, so she had no idea who or what was taking her to the university. She wasn't even sure when exactly he was presenting his thesis. For all she knew, he could have already finished it by now. She hated being out of the loop, but she figured if he wasn't giving her any specifics, it was probably for her own safety.

It was a day warmer than most, and as such, Shego's spirit felt light. She decided to take a walk around the lair and was enjoying the sun's invigorating rays when a cold shadow fell over her. Looking up, she saw a monstrous machine eclipse the winter sun. It was a silent black jet diving onto the island. Shego felt every muscle in her body twitch at the threat of these foreign invaders.

"Drakken's college buddies don't mess around." she whispered as she warily watched the jet land not far from her.

The steel door slid open with an ominous hiss and out stepped an elderly man in khakis and a gray sweater. He stroked his snowy beard and observed the island with a level gaze. He smiled pleasantly when he saw Shego.

"Ah! You must be Drew's assistant." he said. "Or was it his sidekick? He was very particular about your title."

She crossed her arms and tried to read the man's face. She did not trust him in the slightest, but he seemed genuinely glad to meet her.

"I'm Shego, his partner."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Shego. I'm professor Isaac Van Iversen—psychologist of villainy at Fiske Academy."

He held out his hand to Shego, but she did not extend hers in return.

"Fiske Academy?" She narrowed her gaze at the short old man. "I thought Drakken was at the International University of Villainy?"

Isaac let out a breathy laughed. "That is merely the name we use for advertising purposes. You can't expect us to put the institution's real name in a brochure."

"Yeah, it'd be terrible if your students actually knew where they were going."

"And it would be terrible if the government knew of my colleagues' unethical practices." Isaac cleared his throat. "We can discuss this on the way. After you, Miss Shego."

She boarded the jet and calmly took a seat in the spacious cabin that was lit by a row of red lights. Despite its grim décor, Isaac somehow made the room inviting. It was windowless and silent save for the raspy breathing of a hulking mass that level a predatory stare at Shego as it sat in the corner.

Shego jumped up and flared her plasma claws when she saw the suited giant. He made no response but maintained his vicious gaze.

Isaac ran into the cabin, gripping a rail for balance. "Please clam yourself, Shego. This is my colleague, Magnus. He is harmless, I assure you."

"I'm just security." Magnus grunted. "You try to escape, you make a run for the pilot—I break your neck."

"Well, relatively harmless." Isaac sighed. "Don't you have work to do, Magnus? I'll entertain our guest."

"Fine. I'll be in my office."

The massive man rose and lumbered out of the cabin.

"My apologies," said Isaac as he took a seat across from Shego. "He's one of our top researchers in geothermal weapon systems, but a teacher he is not."

"Yeah, I could'a guessed that."

Isaac's face fell. "It is not entirely his fault, you know. He was orphaned as a boy and spent his life in near solitude. The outside world is not his."

Shego trembled slightly. "Oh, that's . . . can we change the subject?"

"Of course, my dear. I'm quite excited to learn about Drew's mysterious partner. You did well to erase all your public records. Our agents couldn't even uncover your real name."

"Shego _is _my real name."

A pained expression crossed his face. "Oh, I see. . . ."

Shego broke the silence, "So, Dr. Iversen, you're a psychologist for villains?"

"Isaac, please. Yes, it is my quest to find out what makes a villain."

Shego's eyes widened. "That's . . . very interesting. Would you call yourself a villain?"

Isaac tugged on the collar of his gray sweater. "I do not have good intentions—I will say that much. I study the villain's mind out of curiosity, nothing more."

"You look like a nice guy to me, compared to your friend at least."

He looked away and folded his hands in his lap. "Evil has many forms, Shego—some gilded with a pleasing veneer."

"Right. I'm sure you've seen every kind of it."

"I've seen quite enough of it. I'll be retiring soon if you couldn't tell by my getup." He smiled. "I was just golfing with some of my students—such bright kids."

"You're allowed to retire? No offense, but your school seems like the kinda place where the only way out is in a body bag."

"Ha! It does give that impression, doesn't it? Well, it might surprise you to know that as long as we pursue our work, my colleagues and I are given quite a bit of freedom, though it is recommended we stay at the academy."

Shego leaned forward. "But you don't think Drakken will stay, right?"

Isaac stroked his beard as he took note of her body language. "Who's to say? Unfortunately, the man spends so much time in the lab I hardly know him."

_I think that was a half-truth. _

"That's too bad 'cause my boss could really use your help. He's not right in the head, ya know . . . or anywhere now that I think about it."

Isaac clasped his hands togetherand laughed. "Oh, trust me, Shego—compared to my clients, Drew is in very stable condition."

Shego smiled, satisfied. "Then you _do_ know Drakken."

Isaac furrowed his brow and gave her an irritated glance. "You're a clever girl, Shego. You remind me of my daughter."

Her smile quickly dissipated. "You mean your granddaughter, right?"

"Oh, please understand, I meant no offense. I haven't seen my daughter in thirty years, so she's still quite young in my mind."

Shego laughed nervously. "That's . . . gotta be a joke."

"I'm afraid not." His face darkened. "I told you evil comes in many forms, didn't I? Mine is this—I abandoned my wife and daughter to pursue my work. I'm dead to them, Shego."

_I think there's something wrong with this guy. How can he say that with a straight face like it's nothing?_

"But I did not come here to talk about myself." Isaac continued casually. "I'm much more interested in you, my dear. If you have any problems, feel free to share them."

"I don't need a therapist!" she yelled.

He smirked. "Your aggression says otherwise."

"Yeah, I get mad when people dodge my questions and act like they don't know my boss!"

Isaac made no response but gave her a pleasant smile.

"I'm telling you, I'm a perfectly healthy villain."

His eyes widened. "There are no healthy villains, my dear, and you least of all. That splitting headache you've had since we took off betrays you."

Shego was stunned. She gripped the sides of her head and stared at him in wonder.

"How did you? N-never mind, I don't care. Why did you try to distance yourself from Drakken?"

Isaac sighed and narrowed his gaze. "I hate to cause you any anxiety, but I fear Drew is conducting some dangerous research."

Shego's breath caught in her throat. "Dangerous how?"

"I can't be certain, but the higher-ups have kept him under a close watch, and that's never a good sign."

Shego fell silent and stared at the floor for several minutes.

"You're worried about him, aren't you?" said Isaac with a sincere smile.

"Well, yeah, he's my boss. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I've counselled hundreds of villains, Shego. They don't care for their superiors. They want to overthrow them and take their power."

"I never said I cared for Drakken!"

"Indeed, you didn't."

Shego waited for Isaac to continue, but he said no more. Her mouth fell agape when she realized she had made an unforced error and revealed her feelings.

_This guy is good—scary good. He's on a completely different level than Drakken. He's probably been laying traps for me this whole time._

"You've grown quiet, Shego." he said with a concerned tone.

She stared at the floor in silence.

"I see your relationship with Drew is complicated."

"Yeah, and it's none of your business!"

He frowned. "We're about to land, but perhaps you can summarize your problems."

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"This could be your only chance to—"

"Would you shut up?! I said I don't want to talk about it!"

Isaac leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard. He was completely calm. Shego could tell he had a lot of experience with people of her temperament.

"Drakken, he . . ." She faltered. "I abandoned him, and he saved my life. Does that tell you anything?"

Isaac stared at her in awe. "Yes, that's fascinating. I've never known a villain to save a subordinate's life, short of any selfish ambition. Did he ask for something in return?"

She squirmed in her chair. "Actually, he doesn't know about it."

"Astounding! Then he welcomed you back with open arms—no questions asked?"

"Well, yeah, but I'm not really working for him. I'm just helping out wherever he needs me."

Isaac threw his head back and laughed. "Then the answer is beautifully simple, my dear."

Shego raised her brow.

"You both love each other."

She jumped up and shook her head violently. "Whoa! Hold up, prof! No one said anything about love."

"Oh, you didn't now? Then let me lay it out for you. You just mentioned three acts of selflessness—acts of love. You left Drew, yet he saved your life for no personal gain whatsoever. Then, he welcomed you back and did not try to take advantage of you, despite how he must have perceived your desperation. Finally, you agreed to serve him without any compensation. What's more, my argument is strengthened by the fact that selflessness is not in your nature. Apart from love, do villains serve each other with glad hearts? I think not."

"I think you're out of your damn mind!" she roared.

The jet shook slightly and came to a halt.

"Oh joy!" Isaac exclaimed. "We landed."

He calmly grabbed his golf clubs out from under his seat and made for the exit ramp, but Shego sunk her claw into his shoulder.

"We aren't finished here, Iversen." she said with no small amount of menace in her eyes.

"I'm afraid we are." He brushed her off haphazardly. "But don't worry—I've already sent you my contact information. Please call if you require my services."

"What? How did you—"

Shego checked her phone and sure enough, Isaac had emailed her his address and phone number. While she was distracted, Isaac made his way down the ramp and started walking off into the fog-shrouded night towards a large marble building.

Shego ran after him. "Iversen, where do you think you're going? Is Dr. Bruiser gonna take me to Drakken?"

Isaac laughed. "Oh no, I'm sure Magnus is much too absorbed in his work, just as I was."

She scowled at him.

"Well, Miss Shego, this is where we part ways, but don't worry—Drew will escort you to the lecture hall." He winked at her. "He's been awaiting your arrival for some time."

Her face reddened. "You slimy shrink. You don't know anything about me."

"On the contrary, I think I know more about you than you do about yourself." he said, walking deeper into the fog.

Shego flared her plasma claws. "That pretentious little . . . err!"

In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to make the old man eat his own golf clubs, but she knew it would only endanger herself and Drakken. She calmed down and extinguished her claws.

"Iversen, I've got one more question!" She yelled.

The old man turned about, his form obscured by the fog.

"Why do you keep calling Drakken 'Drew'?"

She hoped it had caught him off guard.

Isaac tilted his head and she caught the glint of his golf clubs in the moonlight. "Because it was the name given to him by the ones who loved him most."

He vanished as the fog engulfed his slight frame.

Shego stood in the darkness, pondering his words—pondering everything she had just experienced. Whether he was right or not, she felt a great burden had been lifted from her heart.

_I don't get it. After all that, I feel so relieved. I should be more confused than ever._

She tried to come up with some argument to refute him, but it was pointless. Of course she could have told him that she was only helping Drakken to repay her debt, but if that was the case, then why was she keeping it a secret? If all she cared about was the debt, then she would have negotiated its terms of payment as soon as possible. The more she thought about it, the more infallible his argument seemed, but it was illogical for her to love anyone. To rely on another was a weakness—a weakness no villain could afford, for there were evil people who would take advantage of her attachment and destroy her. No, she had to destroy them first. That was the nature of evil, to have power over others—power for the sake of power.

Shego tugged at her hair. "Oh, I hate that man! He put me through the wringer, but I'll be ready next time."

She heard footsteps rapidly approaching from behind her. "Oh boy. . . ."

"Shego, you finally came!"

She turned around to see Drakken running toward her, his lab coat flying behind him. To him, that coat had more prestige than a king's mantle. He threw his arms around her and she recoiled but eventually hugged him back and exhaled deeply.

"Hey Drew—Drakken. Dammit!"

She shoved him back and looked away to hide her face with her hair.

Drakken crossed his arms. "Wow, thanks—you don't see a guy for two months and you throw curses at him."

Shego's face fell. "Look, I'm sorry, but your friend Shorty the Shrink put me in a bad mood."

"You spoke with Dr. Iversen!" He motioned for her to follow. "Come, let's walk and talk."

They made their way toward a large marble building that was surrounded by columns and elaborate topiary. The fog dissipated as they climbed the sharply cut stairs.

"I can't believe you got to fly with Dr. Iversen. He's one of the greatest scientific minds in the world, evil or not."

"He's full of it!"

Drakken blinked several times. "Uh, what?"

"It's nothing. He just said some really weird stuff, okay?"

"Did he now?"

"Yeah." She paused. "He said you were doing some dangerous research—research that could get you in trouble."

Drakken smirked. "Fear not, Shego. I'm on five different research teams. If I was doing anything illegal, the whole school would know."

"That's what worries me. . . ."

They entered the college, and as they were walking down its pristine marble halls, Shego noticed an eerily familiar portrait suspended on the wall.

"Um, why is there a giant picture of Monkey Fist?" she asked.

"That's Major Fiske, his great-grandfather. He founded the academy almost one hundred years ago."

"Fiske Academy . . . I knew that name sounded familiar. Hey, didn't he get turned to stone?"

"Yes, they're working on that." Drakken threw open the doors of the lecture hall and let out a disgruntled groan. "Not the crowd I was expecting. Please take a seat, Shego. My presentation will begin momentarily."

"O-okay." She found a seat far away from the scientists who had crowded in the front. "Why is he being so stiff?"

While Drakken took the podium and readied his projector, a tall blonde woman sat down right next to Shego, despite the sea of empty seats about her. The woman seemed to be in her late thirties. She was thin and ghastly pale, almost wraithlike. She sat up rigidly and stared forward, ignoring Shego completely.

She gave the blonde woman an icy glare. "Do you mind? I like my space."

The woman scoffed at her. "Do you know who I am, girl?"

"An egotistical maniac?"

"I'm Dr. Morgan le Foncèe, professor of oblivion theory."

"Ha! So you study nothing?"

Morgan rolled her eyes. "Yes, get all that ignorance out of your system, child. I don't expect a simpleton like you to appreciate my work."

"Glad to meet your expectations."

The lights dimmed and Drakken's presentation began. Shego slumped over in her seat, hoping he wouldn't call her out.

Drakken tapped the mic. "Um, before I begin, there's something I'd like to say."

Shego sunk lower until she was nearly under the desk. "Oh, please stop."

"There's someone very special in the room tonight—someone I wouldn't be here without." He cleared his throat. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce my partner-in-crime and financial advisor—Shego!"

The handful of weary-eyed scientists in the front looked about the room, but Shego had already hidden under her desk.

"Financial Advisor?" she whispered. "I bummed two hundred grand off Junior."

Drakken jerked his neck over the podium, his eyes darting around frantically. "Hm? Shego, where are you? Wave a glowing hand so I can see you."

She knew Drakken would check underneath every desk to find her, so it would only be more embarrassing if she hid.

Shego stood up and threw her hand in the air. "Up top, Dr. D!"

Drakken sighed. "There she is, and she's sitting with Dr. Foncèe. Isn't that just . . . well, let's get started, shall we?"

Morgan stared at her, aghast. "So, you're Drakken's little science project?"

Shego bit her lip. "Ya know, I'd hate to spill your ice-cold blood all over the floor—someone could fall and get hurt."

"What a charming brute you are."

Shego grabbed the sides of her head and groaned. "Look, lady. If you're not gonna respect me, can you at least respect Drakken? I'm trying to listen to his speech."

Morgan scoffed at her. "You needn't trouble yourself, girl. His thesis needs no defense. I already read it and it's nearly perfect, but I know your primitive mind could never comprehend such genius."

"Are you trying to make me rip your throat out? Wait . . . did you say _genius_?"

Morgan's eyes reflected the light of the projector screen. "Oh, yes. Drakken is the most brilliant mind to grace the academy in decades."

Shego looked the doctor over and noticed how her bosom rose and fell rapidly. "Hey, keep your skirt on, prof."

Morgan smirked and gave her a sideways glance. "Why don't you behave yourself and listen to your master like a good girl?"

Shego could hear the blood pounding in her head. For a moment, she really did consider murdering her. The room was dark and the witnesses were few. She could kill her silently and hide the body under the desk. Her plasma could even burn the blood off her hands.

She rested her elbows on the desk and massaged her temples.

_Her treating me like an animal has got me thinking like one._

She breathed deeply and leaned back in her chair. It took several minutes, but she finally cleared her mind and focused on Drakken's presentation. She was speechless. It was the most brilliant, eloquent performance he had ever given, and Shego could hardly understand a word of it. Drakken was so organized and confident that she couldn't help but be in awe, yet the content was meaningless to her. When it was all over, she could not even understand the questions Drakken was asked. Still, the scientists seemed pleased, especially Morgan, so she was proud of him.

Even as Shego joined their vigorous applause, she couldn't help but feel a little sad—not a tearful sorrow, but an empty one. In that moment, she felt more distant from Drakken than ever. Whatever his thesis proved to his colleagues, it proved to her that the man behind the podium was not the mad scientist she had known for five years.

Once Drakken turned off the projector and the lights came on, the scientists lethargically filed out of the lecture hall—all but one. Much to Shego's dismay, Morgan lingered by the exit and leveled a steady contemptuous stare at her. She walked to the front where Drakken was fiddling with his computer.

"How was that, Shego?" Drakken asked, still absorbed in his notes.

"It was . . . something else. I can't believe you made it through that whole presentation without looking like a fool."

"That's because my plans always looked good on paper. It was in the execution that I failed."

Shego crossed her arms. "No, I'm pretty sure your plans were bad in theory too. What I just saw was something else, trust me."

Drakken finally turned to her and scowled, contorting the scar under his left eye. "Can't you just be proud of me for once?"

"I _am_ proud of you. You finally did something worthwhile." She spread out her arms. "Come here. If I don't hug you now, when will I?"

His eyes widened. "Oh . . . thank you, Shego."

He gingerly wrapped his arms around her waist, and she stifled a laugh as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

Drakken squinted his eyes. "Hm? I thought you felt strange earlier. Did you gain mass?"

"Uh, Drakken, what the hell?!" She pushed him away and tried to hide her blushing face. "I've been throwin' weights around in my old room—ya know—the one you turned into a gym!"

"Ha! Then you admit it was a good idea."

Morgan grew tired of their banter and strutted down to the front of the lecture hall. "Yes, she's quite the specimen."

Shego clenched her fists. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

"I have a plane to catch—as do the two of you."

Shego glanced back and forth between them both. "What's she talking about, Drakken?"

He tugged on his collar. "Well, you see, I've made so much progress that I was permitted to finish my degree at home."

Shego's eyes lit up. "That's . . . that's great! Why do you look so worried?"

"Well, I'm glad you and Dr. Foncèe already had a chance to get acquainted because she'll be coming along to supervise my research."

Shego made a strangling gesture with her hands. "It'll be a one-way trip for her."


End file.
